Eye pokes can be fight-changers in the most unexpected and frustrating ways — and Belal Muhammad knows this all too well. His recent bout with Ian Machado Garry reignited a painful reminder of how these fouls can sway the outcome, even when rules don’t penalize the offender sufficiently. But here’s where it gets controversial: Muhammad firmly believes Garry deliberately used eye pokes as a tactic, exploiting a loophole in the system to seize the upper hand.
Muhammad’s experience with eye pokes isn’t new. His first fight against Leon Edwards ended prematurely due to a severe eye poke that resulted in a no-contest. Fast forward to his clash with Garry, where the action had to pause multiple times because of eye poke complaints from Muhammad. Despite this, the referee chose not to deduct any points from Garry, allowing the continuation of what Muhammad sees as a strategic foul.
"What did we actually witness during the match? Honestly, not much," Muhammad explained on his YouTube channel. "Getting poked in the eye three times — what can you realistically do? Ian clearly showed tactical smarts by recognizing that poking the eye early, and without any penalties, would tip the scales in his favor. This is why the rules demand revision. Without proper consequences, fighters will just keep exploiting these tactics. Why wouldn't they?"
This frustration isn’t exclusive to Muhammad. Numerous fighters, and even UFC’s top brass, share concerns over the scarcity of penalties for eye pokes. UFC CEO Dana White recently voiced that implementing "harder penalties" might be the only viable way to discourage fighters from risking eye pokes and to protect the sport’s fairness.
Though he attributes part of his loss to these fouls, Muhammad didn’t dismiss Garry’s overall skill. He praised Garry’s distance management and clever fight style but admitted he needed to bring more urgency and intensity earlier in the fight.
"Ian showed real intelligence in controlling the distance," Muhammad said. "We knew he would stick and move, so in a shorter three-round fight, it’s crucial to start aggressively and catch the opponent off guard early. We need to flip that approach: step on the gas from the opening bell. By round three, we had adjusted, but it was too late to make a difference."
This fight marked Muhammad’s second consecutive defeat, following a unanimous decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena in May during his first defense of the UFC welterweight title. Never before in his professional career had Muhammad suffered back-to-back losses, a new challenge he faces with determination.
"The fight didn’t unfold as we hoped," Muhammad acknowledged. "It’s all about learning and improving now. I still believe I’m among the best in the world, and I’m eager to prove that the next time I step into the octagon. Actions speak louder than words."
What do you think about Muhammad’s claim that Garry used eye pokes intentionally to win? Should the UFC enforce stricter penalties to eliminate this controversial tactic? Or is it just part of the fight game? Share your thoughts below — this debate is far from over.
